Birmingham-based charity brings safe water sources to world's poor

For most people, getting clean drinking water is as simple as walking to the nearest faucet, but on a trip to the Sudan in 2008, Spencer Sutton saw first hand that for many, finding safe water is a daily struggle to survive.

"I saw kids dying because they didn't have clean wa­ter," Sutton recalled. Sutton brought those memories back home to Bir­mingham and founded Nev­erthirst Inc., a nonprofit that works to bring safe water sources to some of the world's poorest people.

In January 2009, the group worked to bring a well to the Sudanese village of Witto.

At the time, the village had a population of about 800. Less than a year later, as word of clean water spread, the population in­creased to 1,200, Sutton said.

Because each well can serve the needs of 500 to 600 people, Sutton said they ended up drilling another in Witto.

"Women there had been walking five to 10 miles to get water," he said.

Since that first well was installed, Neverthirst has helped bring clean water to 21 places in Sudan, 99 in In­dia and four in the Central African Republic.

The organization raises money from individuals and churches in the Birming­ham area.

Sutton said they then work with churches, inter­national aid organizations, and other non-governmen­tal organizations based in those nations to find ways to provide water.

"Whatever technology is appropriate for the community is what we do. Mostly, that's deep wells," he said.

Depending on location and existing conditions, it can cost between $800 to $24,000 to provide water, but Sutton said the average is around $5,000.

Since April, the group has been working to bring water sources to 100 villages in India, something Sutton said should be complete by this time next year.

In August, they plan to launch a website that will allow people to adopt a Sudanese village and seek donations.

Neverthirst's progress has been a small step towards helping the 1 billion people worldwide who don't have access to clean, safe drinking water, Sutton said.

But it's not just water Sutton wants to bring to the people. "We want the community to know it's the church that's bringing them water. It's a practical demonstration of God's love."